Demon baby's day out
by Sareph
Summary: My first fic! The YYH gang takes a break and goes camping, but things are turned upside down when Hiei finds a baby demon in the woods! How will they take care of it, and what about the parents!
1. Default Chapter

'Sup, this is my first fic I've ever posted, I like to create totally new characters and throw them in with the original characters in some new side- quest, and then see what happens. I'll be playing with Hiei a lot in this, but things should stay sane, I think. Enjoy.or don't. Tell me what you think either way. But I've always wanted to see what happened when the gang got stuck with a baby demon.  
  
I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho, but that may change someday.  
  
The YYH gang (meaning Hiei, Yusuke, Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara, Yukina, and Kurama) are on a camping trip in the forest near the mansion of the evil crime lord billionaire who dragged them into the Dark Tournament by kidnapping Yukina. Hiei is relaxing in a tree, keeping an eye on Yukina, who is sitting against the trunk of the same tree, reading a book Keiko bought for her about different forms of poetry. Kuwabara is practicing his spirit sword techniques not too far away, obviously hoping to impress Yukina. Yusuke is criticizing Kuwabara out of the more and more frustrated red-head's reach, and Keiko is showing Botan the art of sunbathing in a sunny glade near Hiei's tree. "Yusuke, shut up! I'm trying to concentrate here, in case you haven't noticed!" Kuwabara yelled.  
  
Yusuke laughed derisively, shaking his head. "It wouldn't make a difference if I was here or not, Kuwabara. Quit swinging around and work on your speed! That's what's holding you back, you're a ton of bricks with a sword!" Kuwabara lost it, charged wildly, and Yusuke easily jumped over him, the grin growing.  
  
"If I may interrupt your little game," Kurama said in his usual calm voice, stepping from the trees. "Kuwabara, Yusuke is right, you are far too slow. I could help you work on that, and it would improve your chances in a fight against a powerful demon. So far, you've only won by luck."  
  
Kuwabara wheeled around and glared at the demon. "Whaddya mean, luck?! I win by skill, and you know it!" Kurama shook his head. "Say what you like, but your "skill" won't be enough to save your neck in every battle. Believe me, Kuwabara, you need to improve your speed."  
  
Hiei spoke up. "He's right, human. Your speed is pathetic, like most of your abilities (not to mention intelligence), but at least you can do something about it. As for the rest, you're a lost case. But right now you're putting the entire team in jeopardy just fighting with us in the Dark Tournament."  
  
Pretending not to ignore him, Kuwabara muttered under his breath about pint- sized jerks, considered, lowering the humming blade and letting it vanish as he made his decision. "Whatever. I'll work with you, but-"at this he spun back on Yusuke, making the spirit detective jump, "only so I can come back and kick your butt, Urameshi!!" With that he turned and left with Kurama, leaving Yusuke to grab a bag of chips and enjoy the sunshine.  
  
Hiei settled back against the tree and closed his eyes. That worthless fool needs a lot more than just speed to have any chance in a fight, the dark-haired demon mused. His thoughts were interrupted by a small gasp from Yukina. Looking down at his sister, he noticed she had dropped the book and was staring off into space, a "listening" expression on her face. "What is it, Yukina? Is something wrong?" he asked. He couldn't sense anything abnormal, but his sister was far more sensitive than anyone else in the group, and he knew better than to ignore her when she was like this.  
  
She held the strange expression for a bit longer, than shook her head slightly, a small, worried frown crossing her face. "I-I'm not sure.it was strange.it reminded me of the portals between the Makai world and this one, but it was very brief, and I only felt a flicker that might be something passing through.I may just be imagining it, though. It was all so fast, and faint."  
  
Hiei jumped down with silent grace, putting a calming hand on her shoulder and handing her the poetry book. "Where did it come from?"  
  
Yukina thought for a moment, and then pointed into the forest. "That way. Not too far. But please be careful, Hiei."  
  
Hiei nodded and shot off, jumping from tree to tree, a dark blur in the forest too fast for normal eyes to follow. His sensitive hearing picked up a strange noise after a minute, and he moved toward it with more caution. It sounded like something crying, but many demons were very cunning, and could make fake sounds perfectly. He stopped on a large oak branch and peered around the main body of the tree, one hand on his sword. A small bundle of burned rags was on the forest floor, the source of the crying noise. It moved slightly, and he moved in to investigate, picking up the scent of the burned rags as he got closer. The bundle was warm to the touch, and ash flaked off the edges of what was once white sheets, now burned and blackened. The thing inside moved again, the crying growing louder. Hiei picked it up and moved a fold, locking eyes with a baby demon. 


	2. AUTHOR NOTE: COUPLE IDEAS NEEDED! IT'S U...

HELLO!!!! IT'S ME, SAREPH THE WONDERFUL NEW AUTHOR, CALLING OUT TO ALL YOU WONDERFUL REVIEWERS AND YYH-LOVERS OUT THERE!!!! I NEED SUGGESTIONS FOR COUPLES!!! Here are the rules: You can introduce(each)a new character of your own making. Include a description, background, motives, how they'd get along with a baby who may turn into a small dragon when mad, and who you think they should fall for, OR you can simply give me an idea for a couple. No gay or les, I'm afraid, I'll do that in another story.  
Yusuke and Keiko are not available, but tell me what you think of the following couples: Kuwabara and Yukina; Hiei and Botan; Kurama and any girl besides Keiko. Those are your choices!! Any complaints will be read, though over, and put into story if I think it's worth my time. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ALL ROCK!!!! I LOVE EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS, AND PROBABLY SOME WHO DON'T!!!! bye now. 


	3. chappie 3:lost and found

HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I'm back, and thankies for the reviews, y'all! I have decided to use an original character kindly sent to me by one Shiro Ryu(fanfare)!!! Suki is a petite half-human-half-storm demon with startlingly, nay, shockingly blue eyes, black hair, a love of children, and a kind of general distrust of men based on the fact that guys can be (I agree) ignorant, forgetful morons, and utter nincompoops to boot. But thank you for this wonderful original character!!!!! This was not the only character sent to me, and I ended up flipping a coin, actually^__^;;; Luck of the draw, my friends, and thanks for Suki, Shiro Ryu!  
  
Mak: You had an excellent character, I really did have to flip a coin, dude! Either way, I would have regretted my decision, but thanks so much for sending me your OC, I'm flattered by how much you guys help hopeless authors like me out!  
  
Flower Petals: thank you for the compliments, and I agree with your thoughts on the baby's bad taste, but poor Hiei found him, and the little dragon demon seems to be unintentionally thawing Hiei's heart. Not that it'll show 'til Suki comes 'round!!!  
  
Darkfox: I'm glad you like it, and I'll try to get out more chapters based on the number of reviews I get, so encourage all your friends to REVIEW!!!!!  
  
Fox Moonshadow: YOU GOT IT!! After all, that idea was a standing joke with my mangafreak friends and I, the thought is chilling. Never fear, Botan won't get our fave fire demon, I'm not that dumb! Great minds think alike, I guess^_______^!  
  
Now, a word from our cast to you: Hiei- Hn. Review. Wait, what's this about me and.oh shit; Botan- Hiei, be nice. Thank you, I hope you like my parts!^__^; Kurama: I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as well; Yusuke: Yeah, yeah, thanks. Now, do you have any tips on little kids?! Keiko: Yusuke, I'm not sure I can trust you! Oh, and I hope I wasn't too rough on you in this chapter, baby-losing BAKA!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't.whassup, Hiei? Hiei: You're not going to do what I think you are, are you? ME: Right you are, my spike-haired friend. Hiei: damn you. ME: Get used to it. Remember, MY AUTHOR POWERS ARE LIMITLESS!!!!(lightning cracks, thunder rolls, Hiei stares.) Hiei:.damn. -_-* ME: Anyway, I don't own anything except the baby, and I have been granted temporary ownership of Suki, who will make her appearance in Chapter four!!  
  
Kurama was coaching Kuwabara as the panting teen ran laps through a tricky course the demon had laid out for him. He's not as bad as I thought he was, but he needs all the help he can get, the demon thought, watching Kuwabara jump a large log with effort. They both stopped when they heard Yusuke's scream.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! KEIKO'S GONNA KILL ME!!!!" They wasted no time in racing back to find Yusuke rooted to his spot at the entrance to the girls' tent, his face a deathly white, a couple of magazines strewn on the ground near his feet.  
  
"U-Urameshi?" asked Kuwabara, tapping the spirit detective's shoulder tentatively. That shook Yusuke out of his terrified trance and he wheeled around, grabbing the two by their collars and lifting them slightly.  
  
"Where the hell's the damn baby, we gotta find him or Keiko's gonna kill me for sure!! Help me look!" He let them go and frantically searched the tent, tossing clothes and bed sheets aside without a second thought. Five seconds later he ran out of the tent, yelling "He's OUTSIDE!?!?! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!OHMIGODOHMIGODHE'S NOT IN THE TEEEEENNNNNNNT!!!!!"  
  
Kurama decided to help, searching the underbrush thoroughly while Kuwabara poked his nose behind bushes and trees, calling "Heeeere, kiddie kiddie kiddie! Here boy!" and occasionally whistling, like he was calling a dog. The three spent a good four hours this way, growing more worried, confused, or frantic/terrified as the light waned.  
  
"We're back, guys! Did you have a good time?" called Botan as she, Yukina, and Keiko walked back to the campsite, laden with pink bags full of baby things. Yusuke saw Keiko's cheerful smile and fainted with a last "Oh crap.", falling out of the bushes he'd been rooting through. Kurama stepped out of a cluster of saplings with a grim face and Kuwabara poked his head out from another bush, saying "Uhh, Yusuke? Oh, nevermind," and ducking down again, upturning stones in search of the baby.  
  
"So where's our little friend?" asked Keiko cheerfully, stopping at Kurama's expression. "We.that is.ummmm.you should wake up Yusuke and ask him." Keiko dropped her bags and marched over to the prone, pale spirit detective, shaking him awake as Kurama looked on with pity. In a voice of cold steel, she asked "Where is the baby, Yusuke?"  
  
Yusuke gulped, looked to Kurama and Kuwabara, who wouldn't meet his eyes, and back at Keiko's frighteningly calm face. "Errrrrr.geh heh heh.Keiko, promise you won't-"  
  
"WHERE?" she roared, shaking him violently by the shoulders. "I.d-d-d-don't know.?" he stammered  
  
Just when it seemed that Yusuke was about to lose his head, everyone heard the thin, wailing cry of a tired, crabby baby from somewhere in the trees. "What's he doing in a tree??!!" yelped Botan, staring wildly into the leafy branches so high above.  
  
".what the.?" they heard Hiei say. The next moment, the short fire demon jumped out of the trees, walked over to Yusuke, and handed him the cranky demon baby, saying "Baka, you weren't supposed to let him get away. Stupid ningens." That done, he returned to the tree.  
  
"So that's where you went, huh? I guess you like Hiei. Not a smart choice, but it's your decision!" said Botan, leaning over and laughing at the yawning demon-child. Yusuke wordlessly handed the baby to Keiko, then went back to the tent and lay down to recover from her fury. Meanwhile, Keiko got the baby into a diaper and a little white shirt (cutting holes for the wings and tail) and put him back in the tent, where he fell asleep again.  
  
That evening, everyone was sitting around a fire eating anything from salad to bbq to buffalo wings to hamburgers. The baby, of course, was being fed mashed beets (the smell was awful to Kurama and Hiei, who sat across the fire) by Yukina, who had discovered she was good at making the silver- winged baby sit still, though eating was a bit harder. Keiko was apologizing to Yusuke(who was still mad and ignored her), Hiei was throwing in dry comments about what a moron the spirit detective was for letting the baby get up a tree(and secretly hoping Botan's guess was wrong), Kuwabara was eating as cleanly as possible to impress Yukina(not working), and Botan was making the baby laugh so that Yukina could trick it into eating another spoonful.  
  
"You know, guys, we should probably name him. We might be stuck with him for a while," said Botan as she distracted the baby with yet another stupid face.  
  
"I guess you're right, Botan, we can't just call him 'the baby'," Keiko agreed. She took over for Botan so the poor girl could eat instead of make faces, poking the little nose until the baby laughed and another spoonful was put in.  
  
"But what?" asked Yukina, looking up for a moment before rearranging her hold on the squirming child. She was always doing this because of his little tail getting in the way, and she was afraid she might hurt it.  
  
Kuwabara leaned over and poked his belly playfully a few times, laughing his dumb laugh and saying "He's kinda funny." The baby gurgled happily and was promptly fed another spoonful, spitting half onto Kuwabara.  
  
Botan shook her head as Kuwabara straightened back up, still guffawing, and said "Well I think he's a little cutie, let's call him Kawai(AN I spelled kawaii wrong to make it a name)."  
  
Keiko and Yukina agreed, and the baby dragon-demon boy was named Kawai. Not realizing that his new name roughly meant "cutie", Kawai gurgled happily, burped, and fell asleep. Yukina carried him quietly back to the tent and tucked him into the little sheet-nest they had made earlier, then tiptoed back out and joined the group again. "Fast asleep, so we shouldn't be too noisy," she warned.  
  
The evening turned to night, and they decided to sleep out under the stars, since the sky was clear and the stars were bright, and Kuwabara set up incense thingies to keep the bugs out. They dragged out their sleeping bags, Keiko got the baby from the tent, and they settled down. Hiei went to a low branch nearby, Yukina (after being taught how to work a sleeping bag) spread it out on a patch of soft grass under the same branch. Botan laid hers out near the foot of Yukina's, getting her a great view of the skyscape. Kurama slept near the fire, and Kuwabara snoozed opposite of Kurama, his back heated by the dancing flames. He had tried valiantly to set up by Yukina, but Hiei "persuaded" him to go away. NOW. Yusuke and Keiko set theirs out beside each other, Keiko laying down the baby between them.  
  
Yusuke climbed into his sleeping bag, pausing when Keiko asked "Yusuke?"  
  
"Yeah? Something wrong with the kid?" he said sleepily, settling onto his side. His eyes widened as Keiko kissed his cheek.  
  
"Thanks." Yusuke lay there, face crimson, a hand on his cheek, for a while. Finally, he managed to stutter "Y-y-you're welcome, Keiko.g'night." "Good night, Yusuke."  
  
A few hours later, Hiei woke with a start, looking around to find what had roused him. Everyone was asleep, but his keen eye noticed that the blanket nest was empty, Keiko's limp arm around it. Then he realized a small something was on his stomach, and he looked down, seeing Kawai asleep there, wrapped up in a dirty blanket that he had dragged across the ground with him. Hiei was about to put him back when the baby looked up at him sleepily and yawned, the canines of his teeth unnaturally large, though still soft and rounded. Then the little head drifted down again to rest, a small hand squeezing a clump of the fire demon's black vest. Hiei stared at the small form, sighed, and went back to sleep, a half-smile managing to get on his face.  
  
Well, that's all for chappie three. Next, Hiei is introduced to the only woman who can match his personality, "baka" for "baka". Anyhoo, I hope my loyal fans will recruit more to review, with suggestions about the only match left, Kurama and Botan. IF Hiei lets me, I'll go ahead and try to let Kuwabara tell Yukina his feelings, I'll talk it over with yukina to see how she feels, we'll figure it out. Kuwabara: YEEEEHAAAAAAA!!! I GET TO TELL MY LITTLE LOVE MUFFIN ABOUT MY TRUE FEELINGS FOR HER(hearts radiating from him.)!!!!!  
  
Hiei: Like hell you will, pathetic ningen. An oaf like you will never get Yukina!  
  
Kurama: You're enjoying this, aren't you?  
  
ME:Of course(dodges flames from Hiei. Kuwabara screams like a little girl.) Might as well enjoy the show. Want some popcorn?  
  
Kurama: thank you. *munch*  
  
ME: *munch* No prob.  
  
Hiei: You're MINE!  
  
Kuwabara: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	4. chappie four: dragonwings

I'm baaaaaaack!! Thank you for reviewing, but I may not be updating for a while, so I wanted to get chappie four outta the way. It's still up in the air, but I have a feeling it'll come down on my head pretty hard^_^; "IT" is me studying for a huge test in one of my classes, and unless our teacher gets married next week, I'm gonna have to pull all-nighters every other day (pray for wedding bells, people)!!!!!!!! Anyhoo, I've got an OC right here: SUKI!!!! Suki will be entering my story in this chapter, so let's give her a hand!!  
  
Flower Petals: I just couldn't resist a fluffy ending, the chance to give Hiei a fluffy side was so THERE!!  
  
Fox Moonshadow: Bring it on! I just have got to see how he functions (even if he CAN) in that situation. You understand.I hope.  
  
Hiei: This is your last chance, don't do this to me.  
  
Me: Say the disclaimer and I may reconsider.  
  
Hiei: Hn. Very well, Sareph does not own YuYuHakusho, for which I am grateful. Now, have you thought about it?  
  
Me: (Playing video games)Huh? Oh, yeah.  
  
Hiei:*death glare* well?  
  
Me: No.  
  
Hiei: damn.  
  
The morning was still young when she arrived, a black and white streak moving through the trees, frantically searching for her ward. The battle had been fierce, but Suki had hoped that her frantic spell would have at least kept the child in Makai, where it would be treated with respect. But no, it had to go straight into the Ningenkai, she was worried sick Ahren was lost. That would mean facing his parents' wrath, along with her own grief. Neither was a very pleasant prospect, so she followed the fading trail of draconic energy that wove through the forest. She finally saw smoke rising in the distance, and increased her speed, halting in a tall maple overlooking the campsite. Hmmm.two, no, three demons, a fairy- like onna, two human boys of amazing Spirit power, and a normal human girl. Interesting. One of the demons looked to be a child, even. And there, curled up on the child demon's stomach, was Ahren, sleeping without a care in the world. She bounded down to him, not bothering to draw her two long, curved fighting daggers, and caressed one of the tiny silver wings, feeling relief wash over her as she found that her precious ward was unhurt. Instantly a sword blade was against her throat, Ahren was out of reach, and red eyes were glaring at her. The demon was awake.  
  
"Who are you, and what do you want with this child?" asked the demon. Suki blinked; she had called him a child, but he was just very short, like herself. "I am Suki, and I am that child's guardian. He is my responsibility, and I have come to take him back to his parents."  
  
"Hn. Forget it. I found him, he is in my care, and that is where he stays."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Hiei, now move away or die."  
  
Suki started to comply, backing slowly onto the limb of the tree, then suddenly drew her twin daggers and leaped at Hiei, who jumped out of the tree and landed silently on the ground below. Unfortunately, Kawai woke up.  
  
"WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" wailed the demon-child, beating its fists and legs fitfully. Suki tried to get her charge away from Hiei, but he slashed at her, driving her back.  
  
Kurama woke and saw Hiei fighting with someone, trying not to drop a wailing Kawai. The rest of the company was rousing, but he ran over and grabbed the stranger, pinning her.  
  
Hiei handed the wailing baby to a sleepy Keiko, then walked over to Suki, flanked by Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were both awake and alert. "Now, where do you come from, what are you, and who are this child's parents?" he asked.  
  
Suki answered patiently enough, though the sight of her charge being calmed by a clumsy human was seriously irking. "I am Suki, a half-breed storm demon in service of little Ahren's parents, two dragon demons in the north part of Makai. They were attacked by a rival family, and I had to teleport Ahren away. My spell was without a destination and too strong, and he ended up here. I have come to take him home, now give him to me!" At this lightning flashed in her eyes and Kurama let go quickly, electricity still giving him quite a shock.  
  
Suki was really pissed now. Her little Ahren was being held by some worthless ningen bitch, her masters would be worried, afraid and angry, possibly hurt, and all she and they wanted was to see Ahren safely back in his home-den in Makai. She had had enough of talking, it was time for action. She charged at the ningen bitch, determined to get back that baby.  
  
Yusuke didn't know what was going on, only that Keiko was screaming in fear, some lightning-thingy-demon was charging for her, and that just wasn't good. So."SPIRIT GUN!!!" The blast caught Suki in her side, sending her into a tree with a loud smash. The tree was ripped apart by a bolt of lightning, and Suki charged again, her demon side showing through.  
  
Hiei stared at the shining, crackling being that had been Suki. Her body was just barely visible in a pillar of white energy that zapped, hissed, and singed the ground. She was changed, too. Jagged stripes of black ran crosswise down her arms, neck, and legs, her eyes were brimming with power, and her hands had arcs of electricity running around them. He decided it was time to show a little bit of his true nature, letting the Jagan open wide and pierce the storm-demon's power-blinded vision. He unsheathed his sword, leaping at the raging column of lightning.  
  
The pain was shocking. Suki lost concentration, and her lightning-shield vanished, leaving her to tumble to the ground, a large slash down her back. The wound refreshed her, though. She had been careless, and she resolved not to make the same mistake again, snarling as she drew her twin blades.  
  
Kurama leaped into her path as she charged at Keiko, who was grabbed by Botan and dragged out of the immediate danger. He saw that Kuwabara had conjured his Spirit-sword, the longer one, Yusuke was full of shots just waiting to be fired, Hiei had opened the Jagan and was trying to get a reading on the raging demon, and Yukina had created a towering wall of ice around Hiei's massive oak. Keiko and Botan were behind the wall, and Yukina stood tall in front of it, gathering strength and courage for a fight. Yusuke gave directions to the fighters.  
  
"Kurama, Kuwabara, you come with me and we'll take on this thing! Hiei, attack and keep her from getting near Yukina. Yukina, keep that thing up! Botan, if this gets bad, take Keiko and fly outta here! Let's GO!!" The four fighters charged the storm demon, who had used the pause to summon a small, roiling black cloud that spat bolts at them. The wind was amazing, whipping the tree branches all around in a frenzy. Suki leapt into the air, heading for the ice wall.  
  
Kuwabara saw her plan. Kill Yukina, and the wall would fail, leaving Keiko, Botan, and the baby without a prayer. He saw Suki summoning a huge bolt, and he ran like the wind to beat her lightning. He got there in time, skidding to a stop as Suki cast the fatal bolt. "Back off, you stupid lightning rod!!" he yelled. He raised his sword in a defensive stance and the bolt hit the shimmering orange blade. His body was surrounded by it, but Yukina was spared. Kuwabara yelled a defiant, wordless challenge, and as the bolt ended, fell. His body was burned, his clothes blackened rags.  
  
"Kuwabara!!" cried Yukina and Yusuke simultaneously. They both leaped to their fallen friend, Yukina immediately beginning a healing process. Kuwabara was still conscious, and he locked eyes with Yusuke, the usual faint grin on his face. "Heh, guess.I got a bit faster.after all, huh, Ura.Urameshi?"  
  
Yusuke was horrified at his friend's injuries. His hands were charred, his face and arms were red and sore, his clothes were black, with ashes gently floating down from his sides. "Why'd you have to do that, you dumb ox?" he said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. Kuwabara had been hurt badly, sure, but this was the worst by far.  
  
"Don't worry about me.Ura.meshi. Yukina'll.take.care of.me." Yukina said nothing, only nodded and continued her work. She managed to get off his shirt, and was amazed to find his heart still beat. Not steady, it was erratic, but it wasn't going to stop as long as she could help him. His chest was just as bad as the rest of him, so she started there. Yusuke stood up, his aura becoming visible as a cold blue flame that surrounded him. He headed for where Suki and Kurama were fighting furiously, the shots in his finger shining.  
  
Hiei saw the baka-ningen fall, saw Yukina and Yusuke go to him, and felt a rage seeping out of his cold, calm, rigid shell. He could see Yukina fighting back tears, feel Yusuke's anger and aura growing, and felt his own hate rouse deep in his heart. He helped Kurama until Yusuke arrived, delivering a right hook that knocked Suki out of the sky, and ran to where Yukina was desperately trying to save her savior's life.  
  
Kuwabara was only half-conscious. He so wanted to close his eyes and sleep, but if he did, Yukina got more worried and begged him to open them again, so instead he focused on the sounds of battle. Yusuke's fists and kicks flying, Kurama's whip hissing, and Suki's double blades singing and humming as they traded blows. He was suddenly aware of Hiei crouched over him, and grinned again. "Hey, half-pint.what do you.want?"  
  
Hiei ignored him as usual and spoke to Yukina, his eyes still absorbing Kuwabara's horrific burns. "Will he live?" he asked. He even ignored Kurama, whose right leg suddenly had bloody furrows running down it from the hip. He knew the kitsune demon would still fight.  
  
Yukina nodded again, not looking up from her work. She felt Hiei's gaze on her, could sense his worry deep beneath his calm exterior, and worked even harder to save Kuwabara.  
  
Hiei stood up, locking his eyes with Kuwabara's. "If you die, I'll find a way to make you suffer, Kuwabara. Only weak fools die after something like that. You're an idiot, but you're not hopeless." With that he streaked off.  
  
Yusuke dodged a blade and swung, feeling his fist hit nothing but air, but seeing Kuwabara's whip strike Suki's left arm. She cried out and dropped her left dagger. The arm was useless. He grinned and attacked again.  
  
Pain blazed through Suki's left arm, blood flowed from the wound, but she dodged a kick and sliced the owner's chest, seeing blood seep down his chest. Not bad, but painful. She dodged a whip-strike and then felt a line of ice drawn across her hamstrings, which burst into fiery agony. She screamed and fell, unable to stand. Rolling over, she froze when she saw Hiei's blade mere inches from her chest.  
  
Keiko was watching the battle through the clear ice, and felt relief wash over her when Hiei hamstringed the half-demon terror. Botan cheered, then grabbed her oar and flew over to see if the demon was a fugitive. Keiko gasped and readjusted her hold on Kawai, trying to soothe the wailing, kicking child. "Kawai, hush! It's over, we'll be out soon, why are you so- AAAAHHH!!!" She screamed. Kawai's eyes were glowing, followed by the rest of him. His little body faded into a silver mist, which floated out above the ice wall.  
  
Yusuke turned at Keiko's scream, and his jaw dropped. A mist had formed above the ice wall, and was solidifying even as it sped towards him. It solidified into the shape of a bull-sized silvery dragon with bright blue all-iris eyes, and he was knocked aside by a scaly foreleg. He scrambled up, and saw the dragon had landed beside Suki, silvery wings half-spread. The creature growled querulously and nuzzled her, and she smiled softly and stroked the scaly head with a loving hand. "Ahren.you transformed. I'm so proud of you." She continued to calm down the agitated dragon, forgetting the muddy pool of her own blood, the bruises covering her body from Yusuke's blows, her mangled left arm, and the burn in her side from the Spirit Gun. She even ignored Keiko, who was retrieved from the ice wall by Botan. The dragon licked her arm for a bit, and the horrendous gashes improved somewhat while the dragonlet repeated the process on her other wounds. She looked less like a bloody rag doll when the hatchling was done, but she was nowhere near a recovery.  
  
Ahren was fully aware in his dragon form, though still a juvenile. All he knew was that his nurse was hurt by those who had protected him. But she had hurt them, and he cared for both sides. Somebody must surely be behind all this, and he would hunt them down and make them pay. He was confused, and didn't who to attack.but his nurse's words and hand calmed him, and he soon settled down on the battle-scarred grass and half-purred, reassured that no danger was near.  
  
Kurama winced as Suki heaved her self up, leaning heavily on the dragon. Occasionally steadied by a nudge or a wing, she turned to them. "This is Ahren, the baby you cared for. He won't hurt you, I think he looks up to you as guardians. He's a dragon demon, and I need to take him home. His parents will be worried. I'm sorry about the fight, but since you cared for him, we'll call a truce. I need to get him back."  
  
Kurama walked over to her and supported her more, saying "Are you sure that it's safe?" Suki froze, then shook him off. She looked worried, but she stayed upright and closed her eyes.  
  
"I should probably check." she said. She started murmuring strange words, closing her eyes. A dim glow formed in front of her, but she coughed and slumped down again. "I'm too weak to cast the spell.I need rest." She immediately fell over, her wounds sapping her of her remaining strength. Ahren rumbled his concern, but sniffed her and then settled down again.  
  
They tended her wounds as best they could, washing and dressing them, then wrapped her in a sleeping bag and took turns watching for any problems. Ahren eventually turned back into a baby and went to sleep. The group calmed down, got Ahren settled, and turned in for the night. Suki (once she regained consciousness later that evening) turned out to be quite agreeable when she realized they weren't kidnappers, but she kept to herself, sleeping outside under a large birch. Hiei settled in the same tree, resolving to watch the new half-demon. He didn't trust her, and the cold glances she gave him occasionally showed the feeling was mutual.  
  
Mwahahahaha.the best is yet to come.mwahahahaha.review. Now. Thanx! 


	5. Author's note: Suggestions needed again!

ALERTALERTALERTALERT!!!! SUGGESTIONS NEEDED!! READ BELOW!!!!!  
  
Hello again, all my faithful fans! I shall introduce a new set of bad guys in the next full chapter. I am taking some artistic license and an unintentional suggestion from one of my loyal and wonderful reviewers: Fox Moonshadow!! I'd like to thank him for threatening me with black fox demons which I absolutely LOVED the idea of! Also, I'll be using some details from one of the OC's I had to vote down in favor of Suki: Sunshadow, submitted with care by Mak, another faithful reviewer. The black fox demons shall have black pelts with silver streaks starting at the nose and fanning back and out. Their fave attack, also unwittingly submitted by my good Mak, shall be flame bombs, but those'll be black too, so BLACK FLAME BOMBS!!! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!! Geh heh. Anyway, now y'all can't say I never did anything for you. If you have any ideas/complaints/good jokes, please send them to me in the form of reviews so I can make the next chapter truly awesome. Expect it some time next weekend or this week!! By the way, the wedding was okayed, but a blizzard came through and we had THREE CONSECUTIVE SNOW DAYS!!! WAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!! I used them to cram for the test, the teacher's getting' married some time next month, and thank you all for your hopes and prayers.  
To Mak and Fox Moonshadow: YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!  
  
Kat-Reusaki: Awesome name, dude!! I love that story, I'm gonna read some more when I'm done here, it's so funny!!  
  
Shiro Ryu: Thanks for the hopes and wishes!! Tell me if Suki should keep on hating Keiko.  
  
Flower Petals: All the best stories are well-rounded with a little bit of everything. More violence, but fluff too, is waiting in the next chapter!!  
  
Mak: I loved Sunshadow's design, I just couldn't keep it out of the story!! And yes, the black fox demons are obsessed with dragons!!!  
  
Fox Moonshadow: THANKYOU!! Betcha never saw this coming. *WINK*! 


	6. Chapter six: Kidnapping bites

Righty-O!! I, Sareph, am back. I hope you all enjoyed the little skirmish in the previous full chapter, expect more eventually. Anyhoo, this chapter shall not have the black fox demons, but maybe they'll come in later. They took that wrong turn at Albequerqe and got lost. Or something like that. So, here we go!  
  
Fox Moonshadow: Err. . .whoops? Sorry. Still, thank you for the unintentional idea! ^_______^;  
  
Shiro Ryu: Hmm. . .I like it. . .Okay, that's how it'll be. My ideas weren't too different from that in the first place!  
  
Disclaimer: Kurama, you're up.  
  
Kurama: Hmm? Oh, yes. Sareph does not own Yu-Yu Hakusho, but he does own Ahren and has been given temporary part-ownership of Suki.  
  
ME: Very good. ON WITH THE STORY!!!  
  
Suki moaned softly, her legs on fire and her arm aching. Her eyes slowed creaked open, and she beheld the small girl in the kimono who had formed the ice barrier yesterday, and who was now healing her.  
  
"Don't move, please. The scars are still fresh and weak," cautioned the demoness. Suki nodded slowly, wincing at the stiffness of her neck. Her eyes rolled up and she saw that Hiei hadn't risen yet, but she could pick out his eyes watching her. She glared at him, annoyed at his frank and open suspicion. Then she felt a wave of weakness wash over her and she fell into darkness again.  
  
Yukina got up, stretching and yawning a bit. With Suki, demon in her blood was the dominant side, and she would heal soon. Kuwabara, on the other hand, was still pretty bad off. She hurried into the tent they had hastily erected over him to shelter his tender skin from the elements. Settling down beside him, she acknowledged his small, weak grin of welcome and went to work.  
  
They had created a comfortable routine in two days of Yukina checking on Suki in the morning, patching up Kuwabara a little bit at noon, eating and getting fresh air for a while, then helping Keiko redress Kuwabara's bandages and Hiei change Suki's. Suki wouldn't let anyone but Yukina and Hiei near her for some reason. She obviously didn't trust Keiko, who was still watching over Ahren. She ignored Kurama's attempts to befriend her and apologize, Yusuke's efforts to start conversation, and Botan's bad jokes. But it seemed that she trusted demons like her, or at least trusted Yukina. . .and as Yukina had complete trust in Hiei, he was also tolerated.  
  
Keiko giggled and watched Ahren slap at a bug with his hands and tail. The little ant was running circles around the baby demon, trying to escape. But each time it started to get away, the tail made a wall and drew it back in. Botan patted the baby's head, distracting him long enough to let the grateful ant escape into tall grass. Ahren looked at her reproachfully then crawled over to Suki, leaving Keiko to watch him out of the corner of her eye, away from Suki's acidic remarks and insults.  
  
Suki didn't notice Ahren trying to wake her, and the baby demon quickly gave up. He looked around, searching for someone to play with, and his eyes alighted on Hiei, who was watching him from his high branch. He crawled to the base of the tree and tried to climb it, but fell down. As Hiei calmly looked on, Ahren kept on falling down, climbing, and falling down. Ahren got a little bumped and bruised, but ignored it in his efforts to get to the motionless black form.  
  
Hiei finally jumped out of the tree and picked up Ahren by a chubby arm. Ahren squirmed in the uncomfortable position, but Hiei walked over and plopped him down on Suki's stomach, waking the half-demon with a start.  
  
"What. . .Ahren?" She sat up gently, blinking. "Oh, it's you. What is it?" she asked curtly, noticing Hiei. "He kept trying to climb the tree; he would have hurt himself. Why didn't he accept that he couldn't make it?" asked Hiei. Suki realized he was genuinely curious as to why Ahren would try something that was self-injuring. Gathering the slightly cross infant in tired arms, she explained.  
  
"He's too young to know his limits. He likes you a lot, I think, and he wanted to be with you, to play with you." Hiei stared at Ahren, who stared right back. "Whatever. Just make sure he doesn't hurt himself again. He is your responsibility, or so you said." With that he jumped into the tree, settling into a branch where he could see infant and half-demon easily. Suki sighed irritably, cuddled Ahren a bit and drifted back to dreamless sleep.  
  
Hiei had to watch Ahren at noon so the girls could get a break. Yusuke's chest was still tender from the vicious slash Suki had given him, and Kurama was stuck with a bad limp for a bit longer. Keiko was tired and snappish from Ahren, as was Botan, and Yukine was too busy tending the wounded for babysitting.  
  
As the only energetic, completely mobile member of the group, Hiei got stuck with the baby. He decided to just watch it while letting it do its own thing, which turned out to be pulling his hair. If it wasn't for the fact that it was a baby dragon demon with adult dragon demon parents, Hiei wouldn't have tolerated such treatment; But as it was he was stuck with gently detaching the demonically infantile grip from his spiky hair every five seconds while Ahren gurgled and giggled happily, blissfully unaware of Hiei's smoldering eyes.  
  
Hiei had managed to achieve some semblance of rest, getting used to removing the tiny hand and resting against the tree trunk of the large oak. He was therefore instantly alert when he realized that the tiny hand was no longer tugging his head off, and saw that Ahren was gone. The fire demon looked around, seeing everyone busy or asleep, with Suki propped up against a nearby beech. *Okay, I'll be gone for a few seconds while I look for the brat, no problem* he decided, vanishing from the unaided eye in a burst of speed. He circled the campground in seconds, picking up Ahren's tracks and following them into the forest. He was worried when he saw them mix with strange, demonic tracks. Like paws, but with larger claws and a strange form. He also picked up a whiff of foul smoke far off, and followed it like the wind.  
  
As he drew closer he recognized Ahren's wail, and came upon the baby demon gripped in the jaws of a black mist. Without warning, a scream came from behind. "Let go of him, damn you!" Suki shrieked, letting fly one of her daggers. It pierced the black mist, which faded away, revealing...  
  
Mwaaahahahahahaha!!! Jeez, I should do that more often. Cliffies are pure evil; but then again those of you with half a brain have figured some of it out by now. For those of you who are distracted, don't care, or otherwise, I say nothing except this (actually, this is for everyone) REVIEW! Loveya! 


	7. Fun with dragons

Heyas! It's me again, Sareph. Sorry for making y'all wait sooooooo long for this wonderful installment of my short story, but I had writer's block and an essay to battle off. However, I'm ready to start up again, so here we go! Kuwabara shall do the disclaimer!  
  
Kuwabara: Huh? What?  
  
ME: The disclaimer, fool, the disclaimer! Hurry, before the rabid lawyers show up!  
  
Rabid Lawyers: Grr. . .hey, we're not rabid. . .are we?  
  
Kuwabara: Well, I dunno.  
  
Rabid Lawyers: Well, that hurt our feelings; We're people too! Now onto the suing! NO DISCLAIMER?! GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!(foaming at the mouth, red eyes, long pointy teeth)  
  
ME: KUWABARA!!!  
  
Kuwabara: SarephdoesnotownYuYuHakusho!  
  
ME: Thank you.  
  
Rabid Lawyers: . . .Damn. . .  
  
Suki's dagger pierced the black shape, from which came a screaming, howling bedlam that made Hiei grit his teeth and Ahren wail angrily. There was no time to soothe the outraged child, as more unnatural howling surrounded the three, accompanied by the sinister shapes of the eerie voices' owners. Black wolves formed, streaked with a foreboding silver that gleamed dully in the low light like an unsharpened blade.  
  
Ahren transformed, the dragon demon enraged at being so mistreated. In his true form, he took stock of his opponents and moved over next to Hiei and Suk, protecting them with his silvery body. The largest of the shadow wolves stepped forward, bearing black teeth that gleamed cruelly in the moonlight. Ahren bared his own ivory fangs, emitting a hiss of unholy rage. Some of the wolves shrank back, but the leader growled, and more wolves stepped forward, bristling.  
  
Suki's fear increased tenfold as Ahren shifted to his true form. She knew in her heart that he could not possibly fight of this hellish pack, and summoned her demonic power, letting the power of her human fear and rage fuel it uncontrollably. Her wounds mended as her demon side took over, her father's only gift to the one child that he sired. Every other child had died in birth, but he had seen it fit that this one survive. In her he had sensed a great power, a flawless melding of human and demon. Raw demonic spirit energy coursed through her veins, but her human emotions let her tap into it to such a degree that his hatred for all humans could not give him sufficient reason to kill this beautiful, deadly creature. All that and more flew through Suki's mind as her spirit energy washed out from her like the ocean waves, spreading and receding in time with her heartbeat.  
  
Hiei felt Suki's power rise, and decided to lend a hand. He unsheathed his sword and concentrated, channeling energy into the blade and giving it more than enough power to kill anything foolish enough to let it draw their blood. Ahren inhaled deeply and spat forth a cold blue flame that engulfed several shadow wolves and a tree. The flames died quickly, leaving the horribly burned bodies and charred wood rimed with ice. A terrible power flowed from the dragon demon, burning and freezing Hiei for a second before Ahren gained control and channeled it into claws and flame. With a roar he leapt into the fray, flaming any wolf he saw. Hiei dashed forward, decapitating his enemies. Behind him, Suki was encased in a whirling column of lightning, hurling powerful bolts at shadow wolves left and right.  
  
But still they came, the shadowy forms attacking with teeth and claws, and a strange black flame that they hurled from their mouths at the three fighters. Ahren was rampaging through a large part of the forest, with Hiei jumping through the branches and killing those that Ahren missed or didn't notice. Suki had taken a section close by, her lightning bolts lashing out with fearsome speed and deadly accuracy. But the shadow wolves seemed endless, wave after wave hurling itself upon them. Hiei glimpsed the leader, finally, holed up in a thick cluster of oaks. He was obviously commanding the rest, so Hiei charged. He was thrown back by a shield wall the leader raised. Suki noticed and tried to destroy it with a huge bolt, which simply magnified itself and rebounded on her. She fell to the ground unconscious. Ahren burst into view with a mighty leap, dropping down beside her and assuming a protective position over her inert form. His fiery blue eyes locked on the alpha shadow wolf, narrowing. Hiei was chilled by the look, not because of the rage in those sapphire orbs, but something else. A cold, calculating cunning beyond anything he had ever seen was in Ahren, who swung around and locked Hiei with the same gaze. There was no verbal message, or even any definite words, but suddenly Hiei knew what to do. They had a plan.  
  
Ahren watched as Hiei nodded and charged again, never staying in the same tree for more than a second; just long enough for the alpha wolf to see him. Suddenly, the fire demon was in the air, dropping towards the huge shadow wolf with sword raised for a killing blow. The demonic wolf was focused completely on the small form of the fire demon, which was perfect. Ahren blasted the last of the current wave of shadow wolves and leapt silently at the alpha wolf. Powerful jaws closed around the silver-streaked neck. To his surprise, Ahren could not bite through. The alpha leader struggled wildy, but the dragon simply leaned his snout skyward and blasted a huge flame at the clouds. The alpha wolf could not stand the simultaneous killing heat and shocking cold, and his body dissolved into icy ash.  
  
Hiei landed calmly on his scaly back, hopping off and accompanying the dragon child as he floated back down to Suki's inert form. "She's exhausted. We need Yukina," Hiei said. Suki was in bad shape. Her skin was a grayish white, her lips were blue, and her breathing was shallow. She had a large burn on her right arm where she had managed to block the magnified lightning, but it hadn't helped much. Most of her spirit energy had gone into healing herself, and she had tapped into her life force to fight. Ahren snorted, debunking Hiei's suggestion. The dragon-child knew he was practically immortal; he could restore his nurse's lost years without suffering any great loss on his part. He leaned over and rumbled into Suki's ear. Hiei listened as the growl fell and rose in pitch, and sensed the Life energy passing between the two. Soon Suki was back to normal, and Ahren had lost very little. He hoped.  
  
The bruised and battered trio arrived, telling the story of their encounter. Suki guessed that it was probably an attempt to kill Ahren or hold him hostage, which meant Ahren's parents were alive. Botan was the one to break the gloom that hung about the camp. "Hey, girls! I found a hot spring not far from here; shall we check it out?" Keiko brightened, as did Suki. "Botan, you're a genius! Yukina, do you want to come?" Yukina blushed slightly; she still wasn't used to having friends. But she nodded with one of her sweet smiles. "I'll give it a try, I guess." Botan clapped her hands, sealing the deal. "Great, let's go!" While the other girls were getting bathing suits, washing supplies, and towels ready, Keiko stalked over to Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke. "If I catch any one of anywhere NEAR us, I'll tell Suki and then come after what's left of you MYSELF! Yusuke, you peep and your head is MINE."  
  
Yusuke grinned weakly, squeaked an agreement, and cowered under Keiko's glare. Hiei "hn"d, saying he had no desire to see ugly ningen females nude anyway, and Kurama gulped and nodded. Kuwabara grinned stupidly and nodded, too. The instant Keiko had left with the others, he turned to rally his friends...and Hiei. "Guys, they're gone, let's go! We can't let an opportunity like this pass, Urameshi! Don't tell me you don't wanna see Botan all naked, Kurama! Hiei. . .uh, nevermind. . .Yusuke, Kurama, let's GO!" He turned and marched straight into Ahren's tail, which slapped him across the face. He fell flat on his back. Ahren never even noticed as he followed the girls to the hot spring.  
  
Ahren let the warm, wet smell guide him to the hot spring. He passed the girls not long after unintentionally KO'ing Kuwabara, his tough hide protecting him from thorns and brambles the girls had to pick their way through carefully. When he arrived, he took in the scene with a satisfied snort. The hot water had smoothed down the various boulders that surrounded the spring, with the water going at least eight feet deep in one area. The mist rose around him with wet caresses as he slid into the warm water, letting the relaxing currents wash away the battle fatigue. He settled himself in a ball at the deep end, and sort of dozed. His large lungs let him hold in air for a long time, so he didn't worry too much about drowning. He heard splashes after a while, but ignored the commotion and relaxed.  
  
Yukina slipped off her robe, stepping timidly into the glassy water. She let out a sigh of pleasure as the water lapped at her thighs, wading into the deeper end to get a good soaking. Keiko and Botan chatted in a shallow part, laying in the warm, smooth, sandy bottom. Suki was washing herself off carefully, paying special attention to her hair. Yukina started as she sat on something that moved under her, then cried out in surprise as she was slowly raised from the water, the thing lifting her like a crane. She came completely out of the water, looked down, and saw Ahren's head, which she was sitting on. Ahren grumbled in his chest, rising up on his legs and gently depositing her back in the water. "Ahren?! What are you doing here?" asked Botan, staring. Ahren grumbled again, then his eyes lit up when he saw Suki. He waded over to her, his legs and tail moving him smoothly through the water. Suki laughed gently and rubbed his head, scolding him playfully for scaring everyone. Ahren snorted, the action spraying water over her, which made everyone else laugh. Soon, Ahren had settled in, resting his head on a flat rock and listening to the girls chat in drowsy contentment. "Why did he follow us, Suki?" asked Botan, puzzled. "Some demons like a good bath, too. Ahren's still a child, and he missed having someone to play with. He may be smart, but he's still a infant." Keiko giggled and scratched him under a wing, making the wing twitch. Then Ahren dipped both wings into the water and then raised them swiftly into the air, making two arcs of water. He watched his own show, making a kind of coughing rumble and slapping at the falling droplets with his tail, playing in the water.  
  
"Suki, there's one thing I don't get," said Botan. "It sounds like Ahren knew what to do in that fight. He was no child then, so what's going on?" Suki sighed patiently. "It's like when I bring out my demonic side; he's just letting a stronger, more primal part of his nature take over to protect himself." The girls pondered that for a while, then went back to chatting about whatever it is naked women chat about in hot springs. (AN: I wouldn't know. . .)  
  
For the rest of the week, Ahren mysteriously refused to return to his human form, instead sleeping outdoors near the girls' tent, since Suki was still physically weak from the battle. The group quickly discovered just how much of a baby he was, as his practice flights often ended violently with a tree losing its limbs. Ahren knew how to hunt for himself, but had to be taught to eat his meals on the spot instead of drawing a mutilated, clumsily killed carcass back to camp and gobbling it there. He wrestled with Kuwabara, who was dumb enough to think he had a chance no matter how many times he was pinned, stalked Kurama and Yusuke for fun, and raced with Hiei. It was like having a hyperactive bull with incredible strength and speed, and the mind of a child. At the end of the week, however, Yusuke and Suki decided it was time to take the baby dragon back home. He had hunted the area dry of wildlife, and his flaming practice was a serious hazard. Also, Suki was strong enough to cast her spell, and did so. She came out of a trance with instructions from Ahren's parents to take him home NOW. So they did. Keiko came along, too. Ahren wouldn't leave without her.  
  
Aaaahhhhhh. . .Another chapter completed at last. I hope y'all like it, and review, and show it to your friends, and make them review, and show it to your pets, and make them review, and show it to the freak with the "Smiling Scream" mask on who's standing right behind you holding a knife and a plastic chicken, and. . .made ya look. Anyhoo, you get the idea. Now GO, my faithful legions of fans!!!  
  
Hiei: Hold it.  
  
Me: What now?  
  
Hiei: Why is that ningen girl Keiko coming to the Makai world?  
  
Me: Because Ahren asked me to let her come.  
  
Hiei: Ahren can't even talk!  
  
Me: What's your point? : )  
  
Hiei: You're doing this to me on purpose, aren't you?  
  
Me: Again, what's your point?  
  
Hiei: . . .damn you. . .  
  
Me: Nyah nyah. ^_________^ 


	8. Parental Pains

HAAALLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO, LADDIES AND LASSES!!!!!!(opening greeting courtesy of the wind demon Jin. Duh.) It's Sareph, the great and wonderful author you all love...OR ELSE!! Anyhoo, I have yet another chapter for y'all. By the way, I'm introducing a fic into the game section soon, under Soul Calibur. The title will have something do to with the name "Voldo". For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, rent Soul Calibur I or II and learn. Those of you who do, have yeselves a cookie, eh? (Jin again). Here we GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hiei stretched, happy to be in the Makai world once again, where there were no stupid ninge. . .the small fire demon's thoughts were smashed to tiny bits by a happy squeal from Keiko, who was looking at a multicolored plant with Botan, who was trying to keep her away from the poisonous tentacles it was reaching around behind her. Suki didn't waste time, a quality in her Hiei found himself admiring. She simply used one of her daggers to slice the tentacle in half, then destroy the deadly flower. Kikyo was mad at her until Yusuke came up and walked with them, at which point she forgot everything but being nest to Yusuke. Hiei, wrinkled his nose; he could smell their hormones in the air.  
  
Ahren was having a wonderful time. Kuwabara was bound and determined to beat the little dragon at wrestling one way or another, so the hatchling always had someone to play with. Botan was sticking with the other girls, but for some reason she kept on glancing back at Kurama, who pretended not to notice. Yukina walked along, cheerful as ever, taking no notice of all the matches Kuwabara dedicated to his "Fluffy-wuffikins"; Suki, of course, openly ridiculed him and congratulated a purring Ahren on each near- effortless win. The group was headed for Koenma to get passage into the dragonlands, where's Ahren's folks were. Suki and Ahren could have gone at anytime, but Ahren was too young and he would have slowed them down. In a large group with powerful fighters, he could afford to set his own pace and be protected. So, off to Koenma's they went.  
  
Koenma cowered under his desk as Ogre gave the report. "Yes, sir, that's correct. Yusuke and his friends have brought along a half-demon, a human girl, and a young dragon demon. They're headed here and there's not a thing you can do about it, so get out from under that desk." Koenma had other ideas. "NO WAY, Ogre! I hate dragons! They're mean and ugly and they breathe fire and they eat cute little people like me!" He burst into tears. "The beautiful ones always go first! WAAAAHH!!!" Ogre stemmed the flood of over-dramaticism with a single phrase, reserved for desperate measures and known by all the staff under Koenma. The mystical and powerful phrase had been passed down for generations of Ogre-staff, to help them do their part to keep order in Makai. It was so secret, Koenma never knew it existed, not even when it was used against him. "Are you. . .chicken?" Ogre said, starting the first step of the phrase. The tears from the desk stopped, and Koenma rose up angrily.  
  
"Whaddya mean, chicken?" he said suspiciously. Ogre feigned indifference, a vital step. "Oh, nothing. Except that you're CHICKEN!" Koenma was really mad now. The phrase's magic was working perfectly. "I am NOT chicken!" Ogre concentrated. This was the most treacherous part of the phrase, where one sacrificed his pride. Tucking fists up near the armpits, prancing about with bent-legs, neck and back bent and a 70-degree angle downward, eyes bugged out and fixed on the floor in the ritual moves of the phrase, Ogre finished the phrase. "Bawk-bawk-bawk-begaaawk! Chicken! Bawk- begaaak!"  
  
The phrase worked like the charm it was. Ogre lost that week's pay, but the safety of Makai was insured. Koenma threw a tantrum and sent out a formal greeting party to escort the companions inside. Suki worried over Ahren all the way in. "Ahren, why won't you take human form? Koenma won't be so scared if you do; you know he's terrified of dragons." Ahren flatly refused. "Fine, but you be good or I won't find you any sweetmeat when we get back home." Stung, Ahren grumbled and turned away. Right into Hiei's glare. "Do as she says, or else," the small fire demon said emotionlessly. Caught in the power of Hiei's glare, Ahren nodded meekly.  
  
Suki thanked him, hiding a blush. "Thank you, he's so stubborn. And he has no manners!" Ahren grumbled, but again quailed under Hiei. "How do you do that?" Suki asked. Hiei gave her a measuring look, then let a tiny smile out. "I'll teach you." Everyone stared in amazement until Hiei glared at them, at which point they all became totally interested in the dull floral pattern of the castle's interior. They were led by Botan to Koenma's meeting room, though half of them knew the way.  
  
Koenma decked out his meeting room to the max. After Yusuke's achievements in the Dark Tournament, he had enoyed an honored role of service under Koenma. The king of the Makai world was there, of course. Koenma would not ditch his draconic guest for fear of insulting its parents, a stupid act by anyone's measures. The group strolled in and plopped down on plush furniture with a happy sigh. "It's good to see you all again, people. And I'm always happy to have a guest, of course," Koenma said, starting the conversation. The last part was for Ahren, who purred from his curled up position on a rug. His head reared up on his neck and he cocked his head quizzically towards Suki. "He means he's happy to see you," she explained to the baby dragon. "Don't try sucking up to him, Koenma, he's still a baby. Like you," taunted Yusuke. Koenma ignored the jibe since he had guests. "Har har, but down to business. What brings you all here?" he asked. "Please, sir, we'd like to get permission to enter the dragonlands," Yukina said. Kikyo chimed in. "Yes, we need them to get Ahren back to his family, but we can't go unless you let us."  
  
Koenma was about to tell them they were all insane, he was about to rant on about how hard he had worked to let the dragon demons have their own private country, when he was interrupted by Ogre. "Koenma, sir! There's an urgent message for you, you must see this!" Koenma looked up irritably. "It will have to wait, Ogre. I'm busy, in case you haven't noticed." Ogre was not easily cowed. "Sir, this is top priority, code red, Alpha level messaging material, sir! It has to do with the future of the Makai world as we know it!" Koenma sighed heavily and got up, trotting out of the room with a "Be right back," to his guests. He tore into the room five seconds later, surprising Yusuke so much that the poor guy choked on a grape he was eating. "Big problems! It's that dragon's folks, the message is from them! They're coming HERE to get HIM!!" Botan fainted, Hiei raised an eyebrow, Kurama stared in disbelief, Yusuke wondered aloud what was so bad about parents coming to get their kid, Kuwabara worried over a shocked Yukina, and Suki looked grim. For good reason.  
  
The dragons arrived less than a half-hour later, just as they said. The group and all the staff were outside, on the open platform in front of the main entrance, leaving a wide space for the two creatures to land. Their shadows covered the area the welcoming committee occupied, and as they landed an aura of power pressed like a physical force against the gathered crowd.  
  
They were huge, bigger than elephants, as big as a four-story hotel. Both were also silvery in color, but one was darker than the other. Ahren raced forward once they landed, and the lighter-colored one laid on the ground and nuzzled him, its purring shaking the ground slightly. The darker colored dragon spoke to the group, its voice like river rapids smashing against boulders. "Is he well?" Koenma answered, or started to. "Ye-""I did not ask you. I asked my son's guardian. Is he well?" the dragon interrupted. Suki stepped forth, dropping to her knees with her head lowered. "Yes, lord, he is well. These ones around me cared for him until I found him, and continued to do so while I healed after the Dark Pack tried to kill him."  
  
A growl emitted from the dragon's chest, turning legs to jelly. "Their master shall pay dearly; we were not so easily defeated as he would have liked. Your siblings' charges are also well, but your brother died defending his." This was stated matter-of-factly, but Suki had to make a visible effort to keep herself up. "How did he die?" "In battle, defending my daughter. Heroically, taking the blow meant for her. In death, he lacked nothing. We gave him an honorable burial." Suki nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "It was no more than he deserved. Now, are you ready to leave?"  
  
Suki looked up at him, her heart in her eyes. The dragon nodded slowly. "You are not yet at peace with youself, and you are therefore a liability to my son. Stay with your friends until you are well again. I expect to hear from you soon." With that, the dragon turned its attention to its son. The lighter dragon looked at them, saying only "You protected my son. You all have my undying gratitude." The two adult dragons exchanged glances and rose to their feet, lifting off with effortless sweeps of their mighty wings. Ahren flew between them, and the trio of dragons soon disappeared from sight.  
  
Yeah, yeah, I know. Not much in the way of funniness, but even such comedy greats as "The Barbershop" had to have a downside. Also short, but the next one will be longer. Gotta go, Love ya, REVIEW OR ELSE! See ya. 


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